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Potential Ducks chase big bucks

Recruits Tyler Matzek and Jake Marisnick sign pro contracts

By Bob Clark

The Register-Guard

Appeared in print: Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, page C1

Oregon lost out Monday night on two high-profile baseball recruits when pitcher Tyler Matzek and outfielder Jake Marisnick were among a large group of players signing deals that came in time to beat the deadline for negotiations with selections in the Major League Baseball draft.

That group of last-minute signings included Jorge Reyes, the Oregon State pitcher who was the outstanding player of the 2007 College World Series when the Beavers won their second consecutive title. He was a 17th-round selection of the San Diego Padres after his junior season at OSU.

The money offered the UO recruits won out over a college scholarship. The Denver Post reported that the left-handed Matzek agreed to a bonus of $3.9 million from the Colorado Rockies, well above the commissioner’s recommended slot of $1.8 million for the 11th overall choice. The highest bonus the Rockies had previously ever awarded was $2.75 million to Stanford pitcher Jason Young in 2000.

The Toronto Blue Jays also far exceeded the “slot” amount recommended for Marisnick’s position in the draft, giving the outfielder a bonus of $1 million, which is more than triple the $309,000 designated for that third-round pick, and 104th overall.

Oregon recruits previously signed by major league teams were outfielder Braxton Lane, drafted by Texas in the seventh round; infielder Tyler Bighames, a 31st-round selection of St. Louis; and Tim Berry, a 50th-round selection of the Orioles.

Matzek, who went 13-1 as a senior for Capistrano Valley (Calif.) High School, arrived in Eugene over the weekend, saying he was prepared to go the University of Oregon if the Rockies didn’t meet his contract demands. The two sides seemed to be far apart until Monday, and the deal came about only after the signing of several other first-round picks.

The numbers began turning Matzek’s way when St. Louis signed high school pitcher Shelby Miller, the 19th overall pick, for $2.9 million. Then the Tigers signed No. 9 overall pick Jacob Turner with a $4.7 million bonus and a guaranteed value of $5.5 million.

Oregon apparently was able to hang on to relief pitcher Drew Gagnier, the 14th-round selection of the Oakland Athletics, who said on the eve of the draft he was planning on returning to college in an attempt to increase his value to a professional team and wasn’t among players listed as signed by the Athletics.

The flurry of signings on Monday included the top two selections in the draft at literally the 9 p.m. PDT deadline. Any players not signed by then would have gone back into the draft pool for next season.

Those first two picks were San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg, signed by the Washington Nationals for $15.7 million, the highest contract figure ever for a drafted player, and North Carolina first baseman/outfielder Dustin Ackley, who agreed to a five-year deal with the Mariners for at least $7.5 million.

Also signing on Monday was the third overall pick, high school outfielder Donavan Tate with San Diego. It was a productive day for the Padres, the parent club of the Eugene Emeralds, as the team reached agreement with high school players selected in the first, second and fourth rounds.

“This is a great day for our organization,” said Grady Fuson, the Padres vice president of scouting and player development. “All three players are incredibly talented, bringing youth and an immense ceiling to the Padres.”

Tate was seeking $10 million from the Padres but accepted $6.25 million. That is the most the Padres have ever given a draft pick, roughly doubling the $3.15 million infielder Matt Bush got in 2004.

The Associated Press and several other news sources contributed to this article.